Monday, September 18, 2006

Street smart and city slick

After much perturbed pontification and postulation, Doobie, Bobbis and I decided it was time to invest in a new bolt for the door. Then, like every bright idea, we at once were faced with an immediate seemingly unsurmountable hurde: cost. Have you seen what locks cost nowadays?! Just the basic multi-unpickable-can't-do-without-lock??! Hundreds!

I was aghast. Doobie was appalled. Bobbis was agog.

And then, as we were entering our building, Doobie and I ran into the locksmith repairing the maindoor of our building. Just coincidentally. As one does. You know.
"Hello, you," I said. "When you're done with this lock do you have the time to come see our lock too?"
"You want new bolt? Cost 350 call to my company," he said.
"No that's too expensive!" Doobie argued.
"Tell to my company," he countered.

Doobie and I glanced at eachother. Now how were we going to make the transition from where we were to getting him to do the work, for less, outside of his company? What is the next step? How does one put the proposition out there when you know its not entirely legit?

So I said very eloquently, "Erm. You know. Erm..."
But I guess that's the official language, because then he said, "If you want I do it for you myself, you no call company, and you give to me 165 no credit card only cash"

Yay!

And that's the story of how, smooth slicktalking streetsmart Doobie, Bobbis and Ficali now have a new lock on their door.

3 comments:

Inihtar said...

Ummm. . . didn't the thief break in through Doobie's window?

Ficali McDelta (nee McPipe) said...

So it appears, but one cop's theory was the thief made it appear that he'd broken through the window when he'd actually picked the lock so it was a double-trick. Oh, who knows. Another lock never did anyone any harm anyways.:)
~FMP

L.L. Barkat said...

Now I know who to hire when I need some professional negotiating! :) I especially liked your expert use of "erm." I'll keep that one in my back pocket.